[MZ Police Officer] "Police and Orchestra"... The Youngest Members of the 'National Police Symphony Orchestra'

A Police Officer and a Musician,
Members of the National Police Symphony Orchestra
Fulfilling Both the Pride of Musicians and the Justice of Police Officers

Editor's NoteGeneration Z is coming. It is an era where newcomers in their 20s and 30s decide the future of organizational culture. The police are no exception. The police consist of various departments such as criminal investigation, investigation, security, intelligence, traffic, administration, public relations, audit, and women & youth. The working environments differ across metropolitan police agencies, police stations, riot police units, and local police substations, and the duties vary greatly by region. From the perspective of the youngest police officers, we introduce their departments and hear vivid stories about their thoughts on work and life.

"A police officer and a musician, a member of a professional orchestra"

We met Police Officers Eun-Yong Lee (32) and Geun-Woo Yoo (33) at the National Police Symphony Orchestra located in Mapo-gu, Seoul. They introduced the National Police Symphony Orchestra as follows: The orchestra plays a role in promoting the police through performances at major national and police events as well as concerts that bring the police closer to citizens. Officer Lee introduced himself by saying, "I am a police officer who can always be deployed to the field if needed, but since I joined with the talent of music, I am trying my best to fulfill my role in the orchestra."

Police Officer Eun-Yong Lee (left) and Police Officer Geun-Woo Yoo are posing at the National Police Symphony Orchestra on the 13th. Photo by Dong-Joo Yoon

Rooted in the Seoul Police Band established in 1954, the National Police Symphony Orchestra took its current form in 2019 by integrating police bands nationwide. The orchestra is limited to 30 members and recruits only through special hiring, unlike the general police recruitment. Most members hold master's degrees or higher and are highly skilled.

Officer Yoo, a violist, and Officer Lee, a violinist, both served their mandatory military service in the orchestra and officially joined in April and December 2022, respectively. Officer Yoo graduated with a bachelor's degree from Chugye University for the Arts and completed graduate studies in San Francisco, USA. Officer Lee completed both bachelor's and master's degrees at Korea National University of Arts and worked as a freelancer for over ten years. They said in unison, "Living in the orchestra, we felt the positive influence that music brings, and that experience stayed with us for a long time. That’s why we dreamed of having a job where we could warmly share our talents and decided to join." They also recalled, "We had to take the same physical fitness test as other police officers during the recruitment process, which was not easy since we were not used to exercising."

Eun-Yong Lee (second from left) and Geun-Woo Yoo (center), police officers, are rehearsing together at the National Police Symphony Orchestra on the 13th. Photo by Dong-Joo Yoon

The members gathered in the rehearsal room for ensemble practice, joking and chatting warmly with each other. However, once the rehearsal started, the atmosphere changed completely. The bright smiles and cheerful voices from the interview disappeared, replaced by serious expressions focused solely on practice. Officer Yoo said, "We usually get along casually, but when rehearsal starts, we fiercely debate to achieve better performances. Sometimes, if no conclusion is reached, we decide democratically by voting." Only after finishing the ensemble rehearsal did smiles return to Officers Lee and Yoo’s faces.

The daily routine of the National Police Symphony Orchestra is as hectic as that of regular police officers, running from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. On average, they perform about 300 concerts annually, with full orchestra rehearsals in the morning and individual unit and personal practice in the afternoon. Depending on the nature and schedule of events, they sometimes depart early in the morning or return past midnight. Officer Yoo explained, "Since the number of members is small, everyone has many roles beyond practice to prepare for events. From preparing sheet music to video recording and managing performance equipment, all 30 members divide these tasks and manage their time accordingly."

Officer Lee said, "Endless practice is necessary to be ready to perform at any event, and work often extends beyond regular hours, but everyone enjoys it rather than seeing it as 'work.' We all take pride in music, and thinking that it’s for the people makes us want to perform even better."

While regular professional orchestras usually have 80 to 100 members, the National Police Symphony Orchestra, composed of 30 members, strives to fulfill at least "three times" the workload individually. Officer Lee explained, "Typically, an orchestra has about 40 violinists, but we only have three. So, if even one makes a mistake, it can be a huge error. The pressure is high, and when there is an event, we cannot afford to be sick at will, which is tough, but we feel rewarded and work hard with gratitude."

Eun-Yong Lee (second from the left), Police Officer, and Geun-Woo Yoo, Police Officer (right), are rehearsing together at the National Police Symphony Orchestra on the 13th. Photo by Dong-Joo Yoon

The National Police Symphony Orchestra does not simply perform music but also conveys social messages. Officer Lee emphasized, "Through public performances, we aim to approach citizens more warmly and positively change the image of the police. When holding events for students, addressing topics like school violence prevention through music is one of our important roles."

Also, selecting and arranging pieces from classical music to idol songs according to the event’s audience and theme is one of the most crucial parts of event preparation. Officer Yoo said, "We performed songs by NewJeans and BTS for students and 'To You' for volunteer concerts, all of which received great responses. Trends pass quickly, so choosing songs is not easy, but we are always engaged with music to discover songs that can appeal across all ages."

Last year, Officers Lee and Yoo founded a "String Quartet Team" within the orchestra. They wanted to raise their skills with passion not only as police officers but also as musicians. After dedicating personal time and spending their own money, they achieved the remarkable feat of winning first place in the string quartet category at the 25th Osaka International Competition in November last year. Officer Lee said, "When the first-place announcement was made, our name 'Korean National Police' was called, and I felt overwhelmed as if I had become a national representative, both as a Korean police officer and a musician." They also donated the 1.38 million won collected from their inaugural concert entirely to Seoul National University Children’s Hospital.

The string quartet team is posing on the 13th at the National Police Symphony Orchestra. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju

They regard social service through performance as the highest value of the National Police Symphony Orchestra and actively practice it. Officer Lee said, "The full donation to the children’s hospital was made because the string quartet team wanted to help sick children with all our hearts. We look forward to what we can do next and plan to continue donations and volunteer work." Officer Yoo smiled and said, "The moments of eye contact and connection with patients and their families during performances are unforgettable. It was a rewarding time that made me glad to be a musician."

This year, the National Police Symphony Orchestra aims to gain interest and love from both the public and within the police organization through their performances. Officer Lee said, "By communicating with the public through music and delivering deep comfort and emotion, I think we can fulfill our role in establishing a warm image of the police." Officer Yoo added, "After working at a local police station for two months after joining, I experienced how challenging being a police officer is. Some within the police organization don’t know much about us, but we try our best to warm their hearts."

Finally, they described the National Police Symphony Orchestra and the police as "musical notes." Officer Yoo said, "When performing, you inevitably rely on musical notes. Just as you cannot perform without sheet music, the police and the National Police Symphony Orchestra provide order that citizens can follow." Officer Lee also said, "I want to play the role of a pathfinder and continue warm performances."